Darjeeling Travel Guide

Darjeeling, developed by the British in the 19th century as a hill retreat and tea-growing centre, remains one of India's best-known hill stations, with its terraced tea gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage narrow-gauge toy train, and, on a clear day, views of Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest mountain. Darjeeling tea, grown at this altitude, is prized internationally and distinct from tea grown on the plains.

March to May and October to November give the clearest mountain views and the most comfortable weather; the June-to-September monsoon brings heavy rain and landslide risk on the hill roads, and winter can be cold with occasional fog. Two to three days covers the tea gardens, the toy train and a dawn trip to Tiger Hill for the Kanchenjunga view.